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Malibu makes bar queues a thing of the past with new smart cup

Malibu is taking its adoption of internet-enabled devices a step further with the launch of a smart cup that allows customers to order another drink by twisting it.

The "Coco-nect" cup, in a coconut shell design, features a twistable base that, when used, sends a signal to bar staff, requesting a new drinks and containing the user’s location.

Once the order has been accepted a light on the bottom of the vessel changes colour to let the partygoer know that their drink is on its way, while an app helps the bar staff locate them.

The cup, which brand owner Pernod Ricard described as an industry first, was developed in 12 weeks by the Malibu brand team at The Absolut Company, working with internet-of-things agency SharpEnd. It will launch to clubs, bars and festivals by next summer.

SharpEnd previously worked on Malibu’s connected bottle, featuring an NFC tag that loads an exclusive microsite to the user’s phone. Forty thousand of the bottles hit shelves in the UK last month.

Malibu’s joint global marketing brand manager Deborah Nunez said: "Traipsing to a crowded bar to face a lengthy queue for drinks can put a real dampener on many social get togethers, while our research shows that FOMO – or the ‘fear of missing out’ – can be a real frustration for young people who don’t want to miss out on the fun of the party."